There are a large number of naturally occurring substances that have found applications in various fields that must be processed to be suitable as a commercial product. Historically, maintaining the biological activity of certain potentially useful substances along with presenting this to the intended recipient in a safe manner, particularly regarding pathogen safety and the control of deleterious enzyme activity, is costly and frequently results in a decrease of the efficacy as a result of denaturing of the biologically active material. There are several commercial fields that market products based on naturally occurring biologically active products, such as in the pharmaceutical and dietary supplement fields, food field, medical field, over-the-counter medicine field, and the cosmetic field. The process of the present invention can be adapted to uses in all of these fields.
One example of an application of the process of this invention is in the preparation of type II collagen intended for arthritis sufferers. This compound is reported to work with the arthritis sufferer's immune system in a positive manner. As disclosed in the patents of Dr. Eugene Moore (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,570,144, 5,529,786, 5,637,321 and 5,645,851), it is clear that for the type II collagen to be effective it must be prepared in a manner that is closest to its native state. Moore's suggested delivery of this material to the consumer, however, involves the retention of significant amounts of water, thus making the product susceptible to pathogen cross-contamination.
In the over-the-counter medicine field, willow bark was first chewed to lower fever and reduce pain as early as 400 BC, as suggested by Hippocrates. Because of a number of problems in making the product widely available including storing, handling and distributing the product, a chemist working in Germany in 1898, Felix Hoffman, synthesized and stabilized the active ingredient in willow bark, acetylsalicylic acid, known today as aspirin. The present invention, when applied to the dehydration of willow bark, produces a stable material that can be more effective than synthesized aspirin.
In the food field, a margarine-like spread is now available in supermarket dairy cases that contain plant stanol esters. These esters, derived from oilseed production, have been shown to reduce cholesterol. The process of this invention can be used to stabilize oilseed in a manner that is safe, effective, and easier to consume. Oil seed when treated in established ways to reduce enzymatic degradation can result in reduced efficacy.
In the pharmaceutical field, digitalis is a drug used to create a more effective heartbeat, and is a glycoside obtained from common foxglove leaves, classified as Digitalis purpurea. This process can be used to stabilize foxglove leaves in a manner that is safer and more effective and more affordable for the consumer.
In the medical field, Type 1, 3 and 5 collagens are known to be beneficial for skin health and are used to help wound healing. This process can be used to stabilize these collagens in a biologically active and safe form for use in wound healing while making the product more affordable to the consumer.
In the cosmetic field, many of the facial skin creams contain collagen. This process could be used to stabilize these collagens in a biologically more active and safe form.
Thus, irradiation, thermal processing, the use of preservatives, freeze drying and other known methods of sterilization, are either ineffective or difficult to use to stabilize a product for human consumption which retains the original biologic structure of naturally occurring materials. Accordingly, there is an acute need for novel method to retain the biologically active component in natural materials in its original form that can be delivered in a safe and cost-effective manner for human consumption and use by other life forms.